Birmingham

Birmingham's population expanded in the decade to 2011. Data from the census also show there were changes in ethnicity, housing tenure and religion.

The population passed a million

In the decade leading up to the most recent census, the population of Birmingham increased by 9.8%, from just over 977,000 to 1,070,000.

The addition of just under 96,000 people means this area's population was the second-fastest-growing in the West Midlands and increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Birmingham was home to, on average, 29 people per football pitch-sized piece of land. This made it the West Midlands' most densely-populated district.

Population density was higher than the average across the West Midlands

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the West Midlands, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

A younger Birmingham

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Birmingham decreased by one year, from 33 to 32 years.

This urban area had the lowest average age in the West Midlands and remained younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just under 37,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 70 and 79 years decreased by about 3,000.

About 17% of people in Birmingham are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Birmingham by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Birmingham

The number of people in Birmingham from the White ethnic groups decreased from about 690,000 in 2001 to about 620,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 70% to 58% of the local population.

The percentage decreased by more than the average across the West Midlands (from 89% to 83%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Birmingham from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from just under 200,000 in 2001 to about 290,000 in 2011 (from 20% to 27%). The number of residents from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from about 60,000 to just over 96,000 (from 6.1% to 9.0%).

About 48,000 people (2.9%) said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), up from just under 28,000 in 2001 (4.4%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Birmingham decreased by 12 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Birmingham by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Birmingham that rented privately increased from 8.8% to 18% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under one in four (24%) households lived in social housing, compared with 28% in 2001. The percentage of Birmingham households that owned their home decreased from 60% to 55%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased faster here than the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 7.3% in 2001 to 14% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in Birmingham increased by 9.1 percentage points

Percentage of households in Birmingham, the West Midlands and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Birmingham

The number of people in Birmingham that described themselves as Muslim increased from about 140,000 in 2001 to just over 230,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 14% to 22% of the local population.

The percentage increased by more than the average across the West Midlands (from 4.1% to 6.7%) and the average across England (from 3.2% to 5.2%).

The number of people in Birmingham that described themselves as Christian decreased from about 580,000 in 2001 to about 490,000 in 2011 (from 59% to 46%). The number of people who described themselves as having no religion increased from just over 120,000 to about 210,000 (from 12% to 19%).

Just over 70,000 people (8.4%) did not state their religion, down from about 82,000 in 2001 (6.5%).

The population who identified as Muslim in Birmingham increased by 7.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Birmingham by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Birmingham

The percentage of Birmingham residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 90% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage who reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities remained close to 3.8%, while the percentage of Birmingham residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 6.2% to 5.7%.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (which remained close to 89%). Across England, the percentage remained close to 90%.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents that reported not being limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

More people worked short hours

Birmingham saw the West Midlands' largest rise in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week.

In 2011, just under 1 in 25 (3.7%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Birmingham said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.9% in 2001. The percentage that worked over 49 hours in a week decreased from 10% to 7.2%.

Across the region, Coventry saw the next largest increase in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week (from 2.0% in 2001 to 3.7% in 2011).

Every local authority area across the West Midlands saw a rise in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week, as the regional average grew from 1.7% to 3.0%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Birmingham increased by 1.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Birmingham, the West Midlands and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing household dynamics

Birmingham saw the West Midlands' largest fall in the proportion of one-person households.

In 2011, just under one in three (32%) households in Birmingham had only one person, compared with 33% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising an unmarried couple increased from 6.8% to 8.1%.

Across the region, Sandwell saw the next largest decrease in the proportion of one-person households (which remained close to 30%).

The percentage of households with only one person was higher than across the West Midlands

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Changes in family structure

Birmingham saw the West Midlands' largest rise in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

In 2011, just over 1 in 10 (10%) households in Birmingham had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 9.4% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child increased from 33% to 34%.

Across the region, Coventry saw the next largest increase in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents (from 9.4% in 2001 to 10.0% in 2011).

During this period, Birmingham went from having the 23rd-highest to the 13th-lowest percentage of households with only adult children living with their parents out of 309 English local authority areas.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Changing relationships in Birmingham

The percentage of adults in Birmingham that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 10% to 11% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over 4 in 10 (41%) people aged 16 and over said they were married, compared with 45% in 2001. The percentage of single people in Birmingham increased from 36% to 42%.

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner decreased faster here than in any other local authority district across the West Midlands. The improvement brought health in Birmingham close to the regional average 11% in the West Midlands described their health as good in 2011).

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Birmingham residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 2.5% to 2.7% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, 1.6% of reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 1.4% in 2001.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care decreased faster here than anywhere else in the West Midlands. The improvement brought health in Birmingham close to the regional average 2.7% in the West Midlands described their health as good in 2011).

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Birmingham remained close to 2.7%

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Birmingham by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of self-employment

Birmingham saw the West Midlands' third-largest rise in the proportion of self-employed people.

In 2011, just under 1 in 14 (7.0%) people aged 16 to 74 in Birmingham said they were self-employed, compared with 5.5% in 2001. The percentage that were employed remained close to 46%.

Across the region, only Stratford-on-Avon (from 13% to 14%) and Sandwell (from 4.5% to 6.0%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of self-employed people.

Every local authority area across the West Midlands saw a rise in the proportion of self-employed people, as the regional average grew from 7.4% to 8.5%.

The rate of self-employment in Birmingham increased by 1.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Birmingham, the West Midlands and England that said they were self-employed, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Birmingham residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 11% to 6.7% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (79%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 66% in 2001. The percentage of Birmingham residents that described their health as fair decreased from 23% to 14%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 9.7% in 2001 to 6.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Birmingham decreased by 4.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Birmingham, the West Midlands and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

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